Type-writing machine.



C. B. CORCORAN,

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 29. :916.

Patented; Apr. 30, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

C(B. ICORCORAN.

T'YPEWR'ITING MACHINE;

APPLICATION HLED NOV: 29. 1915- 2 SHEETSLSHEET 2.

6% 16Uo Patented Apr. 30 1918.

GOEJLIUS B. CORCORAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T UNDERWOOD TYPEWRITER CDMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWA.

TYRE-WRITING- MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. 1 Patented Apr. 3th, llgllfi.

Application filed November 29 1916. Serial No. 134,028.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that T, Connnmns B. Conco- RAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in borough of the Bronx, in the county of the Bronx, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-Writing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to line-spacing mechanism for typewriting machines, and more particularly to devices for rotating the platen a fraction of the regular line-space, either forwardly or rearwardly, to enable characters to be written above or below the printing line, and also to enable the writing of numerators and denominators.

I provide an improved and simplified device for this purpose, comprising means which controls a pivoted platen detent, engaging with the usual line-s ace wheel, to rotate the platen through a f space in either direction. By simply moving a finger-piece forwardly or backwardly from normal position, the platen is set as desired.

The platen detent is pivoted on a springpressed plate, and normally locked against motion thereon. A finger-piece or handle is n'ioved to unlock the detent, and then to move the detent in either of two directions, to cause the fractional line-spacing or setting of the platen. I

Means is also provided, comprising, in the form of the invention herein-disclosed, a finger-piece and cam-member operated thereby, for moving the detent and its support out of engaging relation with said line-space wheel to render said detent inefi'ective.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the typewriter carriage as seen from the left, with theusual finger wheel removed, the platen rotating devices being in their normal positions. i

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the typewriter carriage, looking in the same direction as in Fig. 1, and shows the operating handle moved, to efl'ect a fractional llnespace of the platen, to permit printing of exponents and numerator-s of fractions on the work-sheet.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, except that the finger-piece has been moved in opractional line-- posite direction to rotate the platen, to pernnt the prlnting of subscripts and denominators of fractions on the work-sheet.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevation of the typewriter carriage, with the fractional line-space mechanism mounted thereon.

Fig. 5' is a fragmentary sectional front parts comprising the fractional line-space mechanism before assembling.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation,

showing the platen detent moved out of engagement with the line-space wheel, so as to render the detent ineffective.

Fig. 8 is a view of the detent-carrying element as seen from the left-hand side.

In the Underwood machine, the platen 9 on the shaft 10 is rotatably supported in a carriage comprising end plates 11, there being only one end plate shown in the drawings. To efi'ect line-space movements of the platen, there is provided a usual line-space handle 12, which when actuated, moves a slide 13 having a line-space pawl 14, pivoted thereon, by a shoulder screw 15. The slide moves against the tension of a spring 16, the line-space pawl 14. engaging with a line space wheel 17, secured to the platen axle 10, to rotate the platen 9. A spring-pressed detent roller 18 cooperates with the line-- space wheel 17, to retain the line-space position.

he typewriting machine includes the usual type-bars 21 comprising types 22, which swing upwardly and rearwardly against the front face of the platen 9, to print through the usual ribbon (not shown), the characters 23 on a work-sheet 24, which is fed around the platen by feed r'olls'25 and 26. As the typewriter carriage travels along, the types 22 print on the work-sheet 24 in. a substantially straight line, unless the line-space mechanism, including the pawl 14, is operated or the platen rotated by the knob 27, which is secured to the platen axle 10 by screws 28.

To print above the usual printing line which is desirable when printing exponents platen in a and numerators of fractions, I have provided a fractional line-space handle or finger-piece 30, which is swung forwardly about a shoulder screw 31. threaded into the end plate 11, Fig. 5. The early part of the movement of the handle is effective to disconnect the detent 18 from a detent plate 32 to which it is normally locked, by moving a shiftable stud 33' on aslide 34, carried by a detent member '35, out of a notch 36, by means of a cam 37 formed by a cam slot 38, in the lower end of the finger-piece or operating lever 30. During this movementof the stud 33, the stud-carrying slide 34 is movedagainst the tension of a spring 39, connected at one end to the head of the stud 33, and at its other end to a pin 40 on the operating lever 30. The slide 34 moves lengthwise of the detent member 35, and is guided in its movement by the stud 33, which is threaded into the slide 34 and projects through a slot 41, formed in the upper end of the detent-carrying member 35, and by a shouldered screw 42 which passes through a slot 43 in the slide 34, and is threaded into the detent-carrying member 35. Y L

A continued forward movement of the handle 30, after the platen detent has been released from its support or detent plate 32,

causes the detent-carrying member to swing about its pivot, comprising a shouldered screw 44 which is threaded into the support 32. The head of the screw passes into a hole 45 in the detent-carrying member 35, and the reduced portion 46 of the screw passes into a hole in an ear 47, (Figs. 5 and 8) bent up from the detent-carrying memher 35 and around the support 32.

Durin the movement 0 the detent-carrying mem er 35, the detent roller 18 is moved bodily about the pivot d shoulder screw 44 and cotiperates wlth the line-space wheel 17, to rotate the platen through an angular distance, indicated by X, Fig. 2, which is equal to a fractional line-space. If a type-bar is actuated while the platen is in this position, it will print a character above the usual printin line, a distance equal to the arc subten ed, at the platen surface, by the angle X. While the parts are in the. Fig. 2 position, the spring 39 is under increased tension but is ineffective to return the parts .to normal position, as long as the stud 33 is in one or the otherend of the slot 43, formed in the detent plate 32.

To restore the parts to normal position, which is necessary before printing the division line of a fraction, the handle is moved toward its central or Fig. 1 position, until the stud is substantially in line with the notch 36 in the detent plate 32, when the spring 39 becomes effective to move the stud 33 back into the notch 36, and assist in restoring the operating handle 30.

To print below the usual printing line, which is desirable when rinting subscripts or denominators of fractlons, the handle 30 is moved rearwardly from the Fig. 1 to the line, a distance equal to the are at the platen surface, subtended by the angle Z. The parts will remain in this position until the operating handle is brought back to its central or normal position indicated in Fig. 1.

The movement of the operating handle in either direction from the Fig. 1 position is limited by the stud 33 engaging in the ends of the slot 48.

To render the detent roller 18 ineffective, or in other words, to move the detent roller out of engagement with the line-space wheel 17, I have pivoted a finger-piece 49 on the platen shaft 10 (Figs. 1, 4 and 7), which has a cam 50 thereon, engaging with a stud 51 on the detent-carrying member 35, to swing the detent-carrying member with its support or detent plate 32 about the pivot or shoulder screw 31, to take the detent roller 18 out of engagement with the line-space wheel 17, as indicated in Fig. 7. While moving to this position, the parts are moved against the tension of a spring 52 coiled around a cap 53, which fits over a hub 54, extending laterally from the detent plate or support 32, one end of the spring being anchored by a pin 55; the other end pressing against a pin 56 on the detent plate 32.

It will be seen by inspection of Figs. 5 and 6 that the fractional line-space handle is 'held on its pivot b the head of the screw 7 31; that a shoulder 5 on the screw 31 holds the support 32 to allow rotative movement thereof; and that a shoulder 58 binds the cap 53 about which the spring 52 is wound against the end plate 11. Suitable spacing washers 59 and 60 are provided to locate the mechanism the proper distance away from the end plate 11, so as to have the detent roller 18 in alinement with the line-space wheel 17. 1

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a typewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism therefor, including a line-space wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprising, in combination, a movably mounted detent support, a swinging detent pivoted to said support, means normally opposing relative movement between said detent and its support, means for moving said detent and its support as a unit, said means serving to yieldingly hold said detent in engagement with said line-space wheel, and means, including a movably mounted causing a movement of said detent relative to its supporting member and in a direction such as to efi'ect a line-space movement of said line-space wheel and platen.

2. In a typewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism therefor, including a line-space Wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprising, in combination, a pivoted detent support, a detent for said line-space Wheel movably mounted upon said support, means normally opposing relative movement between said detent and its support, a spring tending to rotate said detent support and its detent as a unit in a direction. hold said detent in engagement with said line-space wheel, said detent and its supporting member being movable as a unit against said spring when acting as a detent during regular line-spacing, and means, including a movably mounted finger-piece, for

causing a movement of said detent relative to its supporting memberand in a direction such as to efl'ect a line-spacing movement of said line-space wheel and platen.

3. In ,a typewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism therefor, including a line-space Wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprising, in combination,v a movably mounted detent support, a detent for said line-space wheel movably mounted upon said support, means for normally locking said detent with respect to said support to prevent relative movement of one with respect to the other,

means for moving said detent and its support as a unit and for holding said detent in yielding engagement with said line-space wheel, and a finger-piece movably mounted on said detent support and provided with means for first rendering said locking means inefiective, and then causing a movement of said detent relative to its support and in a direction such as to eflect a line-space movement of said line-space wheel and platen.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and regular line-spam 1ngmechanism comprising a linespace wheel, of a fractional line-space mechanism comprising a manually controlled cam mem her, a platen detent, a detent plate, and a movable stud carried by said platen detent and engaging with said detent plate, said cam member being effective to disengage said stud from said detent plate and to efiect a fractional line-space of the platen.-

5. lln a typewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism "therefor, including a line-space Wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprising,

support, a detent for said finger-piece for such as to yieldingly in combination, a mova'. 1y mounted detent line-space wheel movably mounted on said support, means normally opposing relative movement between said detent and its support, means for moving said detent and its support as a unit and for holding said detent in yleldlng engagement with sald hue-space wheel, means,

including a movably mounted finger-piece,

. to be effected.

6. Ida. typewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism therefor, including a line-space wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprising, in combination, a movably mounted detent support, a detent for said line-space wheel movably mounted on said support, means normally opposing relative movement between said detent and its support, means for moving said detent and its support as a unit, said means serving to yieldingly hold said detent in engagement ,With said line-space wheel, and means, including a movably mounted finger-piece, for causing a movement of said detent relative to its supporting member and in a direction such as to effect a line-space movement of said line-space Wheel and platen.

7. In a typewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism therefor, including a line-"space Wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprising, in combination, a movably mounted detentsupport provided with a lock-notch and a stop surface, a detent for said line-space Wheel movably mounted on said support, said detent having a slot therein, a movably mounted stud normally engaging said slot and lock-notch to prevent relative move ment between said detent and its support, resilient means acting on said detent support to hold said detent in yielding engagement with said line-space wheel, and a movably mounted finger-p1ece having a cam for engaging said stud and effective, on first movement of said finger-piece, to move said stud out of said lock-notch, and on further movement of said finger-piece, to move said detent relatively to its support, in a direction such as to effect a line-space movement of said line-space wheel and platen, the extent of such line-space movement being limited by engagement of said stud with said stop surface.

8. lie typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and regular line-spacing mechanism, of a fractional line-space mechanism comprising a fingerpiece, a pivoted platen detent, and a support for said platen locked, said finger-piece being effective to unlock said platen detent from its support, and to move said platen detent about its pivot to efi'ect a fractional line-space of the platen.

9. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and regular line-spacing mechanism comprising a. line-space wheel, of a fractional line-space mechanism comprising a detent plate, a finger-piece, a cam controlled by said finger-piece, a platen detent, and a stud on said platen detent normally in engagement with said detent plate, said finger-piece when moved, being effective; first, to disengage said stud from said detent plate, and then to move said platen detent to cause a fractional line-space of the platen. i

10., In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and regular line- .spacing mechanism, of a fractional linespace mechanism, comprising a platen detent element, a movable element, supported by said platen detent, comprising a lock for said platen detent, and means for releasing said platen detent andfor moving it to effeet a fractional line-space of the platen.

11. in a type-Writing machine, the combination with a platen and re lar linespacing mechanism, of a fractional linespace mechanism, comprising a platen detent, a plate on which said platen detent is movably supported, means for locking said detent to said plate, and means for actuating said locking means to release said detent from said plate to eflfect a fractional linespace of the platen.

12. In a typewriting machine, the combination with a platen and regular linespacing mechanism, comprising a line-space wheel, of a fractional line-space mechanism, comprising a pivoted platen detent, a slide supported by said platen detent, a support on which said platen detent is pivoted, said slide engaging with said support to lock saiddetent against movement on its pivot, and a finger-piece engaging with said slide to unlock said detent from its support, and then rotate the platen a fractional linespace.

13. In atypewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism therefor, including a linespace wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprismg, in combination, a movably mounted detent support, a detent for said line-space wheel movably mounted on said support, means for normally opposing a relative movement between said detent and its support, resilient means for moving said detent support and its detent as a unit and for holding said detent in yielding engagement with said line-space wheel, means including a movably mounted finger-piece for causing movement of said detent relative to its sup port and in a direction such as to effect a line-space movement of said line-space wheel and platen, and means for moving said detent and its support as a unit, against the action of said resilient means, out of engagement with said line-space wheel to render said detent ineffective.

14:. In a typewriting machine having a platen and regular line-space mechanism therefor, including a line-space wheel, a fractional line-space mechanism comprising, in combination, a movably mounted detent support, a detent for said line-space wheel movably mounted on said support, meansfor locking said detent to its support to prevent relative movement thereof, a spring for moving said detent and its support as a unit, said spring serving as means for yieldingly holding said detentin engagement with said line-space wheel, a finger-piece movably mounted on said detent support and provided with means for first rendering said locking means inefl'ective, and for subsequently causing a movement of said detent. relative to its support in a direction such as to effect a line-space movement of said line-space wheel and platen, and means, including a cam member, for

moving said detent and its support as a unit against the action of said spring, thus moving said detent out of engagement with said line-space wheel to render said detent ineffective.

CORNELIUS B. CORCORAN. Witnesses:

CATHERINE A. Newman, Eorrn B. LIBBEY. 

